Firewood is a hot seller

If cooler nights have you thinking of relaxing by a fire, you should stock up on firewood now, as wood has become a popular source of heating this year.

Julie Onufrak

If cooler nights have you thinking of relaxing by a fire, you should stock up on firewood now, as wood has become a popular source of heating this year.

The best time to order firewood is in the spring or summer, so many local suppliers are nearly out of seasoned wood. Seasoned firewood has been cut and split and left to dry for at least a year, according to Paul Nielsen, owner of The Green Connection Inc. in Scituate.

Local suppliers still have partially-seasoned wood, which may not be quite as dry as seasoned wood but can still serve its purpose in a fireplace or wood stove.

“The best way to run a wood stove is to mix in some partially-seasoned with some fully-seasoned,” said Jennifer Mitchell, office manager at Newcomb’s Tree Service LLC in Kingston. “It’s not going to burn as quickly and still (produces) a good amount of heat.”

Mitchell said that Newcomb’s partially-seasoned wood was split in June or July.

Those who don’t have a moisture meter can spot dryer wood by its lighter weight and color, according to Nielsen. Seasoned wood loses its bark and develops a silvery color.

Nielsen and Mitchell both said that the type of wood doesn’t matter, as long as it’s hardwood – cherry, oak, maple, or ash.

A cord of wood, stacked, should be 4 feet by 4 feet by 8 feet. Prices in the area are hovering around $300 per cord, although they are creeping up.

Firewood should be stacked in a place where it will stay dry. It should be placed on pallets or concrete so that bugs and mold don’t work their way into it.

Mitchell said that worries about oil and gas costs have made wood popular this year. “We usually have tons of wood,” she said. “This is the first year ever we’ve sold out of seasoned firewood.”

Julie Onufrak may be reached at jonufrak@ledger.com.

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